I Still Like Michigan State Over North Carolina

After watching tonight's Michigan State/North Carolina clash, it may be easy to jump to the conclusion that the Tar Heels have once again demonstrated their superiority over Tom Izzo's squad. Yet, I am still left with the feeling that Michigan State would win a best-of-seven series.

In a performance that conjured images of Villanova's miracle 1985 championship shooting clip of 78.6 percent, North Carolina came out hitting on all cylinders. Led by Larry Drew, Carolina shot nearly 70 percent from the field in the first half, taking a 16-point lead into the locker room.

Michigan State shot 10 percent from three-point range, a performance that is unlikely to be duplicated for the entire remainder of its season. Additionally, Kalin Lucas had a miserable game on the offensive end, scoring a quiet 15 points on 6-17 shooting.

But this is less about re-capping the game, and more about the potential seen out of this athletic Michigan State team. What this team lacks in size, it more than compensates for with its athleticism, shooting, and depth.

Look for Michigan State to trounce a decent Wofford team this Friday, and if there is another re-match against Carolina in March or April, I like the Spartans chances to prevail.